Mission, Vision, and Values

Our Mission

  • DSCA’s mission is to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests by building the capacity of foreign security forces to respond to shared challenges. DSCA leads the broader U.S. security cooperation enterprise in its efforts to train, educate, advise, and equip foreign partners.

  • DSCA administers security cooperation programs that support U.S. policy interests and objectives identified by the White House, Department of Defense, and Department of State.  These objectives include developing specific partner capabilities, building alliances and partnerships, and facilitating U.S. access. 

  • DSCA integrates security cooperation activities in support of a whole-of-government approach; provides execution guidance to DoD entities that implement security cooperation programs; exercises financial and program management for the Foreign Military Sales system and many other security cooperation programs; and educates and provides for the long-term development of the security cooperation workforces.

Our Vision

  • DSCA delivers effective, enduring, and timely partner capabilities that advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.

  • EFFECTIVE capabilities are built with people, systems, and institutions.  To deliver effective capabilities, DSCA develops comprehensive programs that address all three of these elements: we develop people through training and education; we provide effective systems by identifying materiel solutions that fit the partner’s need; and we help develop security institutions by advising partners on doctrine, organization, personnel, and leadership.

  • ENDURING capabilities are those that are collective, repeatable, and sustainable over time.  To deliver enduring capabilities, we help partners identify solutions that they are able to sustain into the future and plan for the full life-cycle of the capability.  Working with our partners, we design programs that develop into long term relationships and help to build effective coalitions.

  • TIMELY delivery is based on responsive and innovative processes and authorities, advanced planning, and efficiency in our work.  We achieve this by striving for constant process improvement, maintaining unremitting attention to evolving policy requirements, planning proactively for potential challenges and contingencies, and sustaining a firm commitment to conducting our business with deliberate speed.

  • Capabilities ADVANCE U.S. INTERESTS when they result in progress towards objectives in U.S. strategies and plans.  We ensure our activities do so by tying everything we do to an established objective and directing resources accordingly.  We constantly revalidate the direction of our work and adjust course as necessary.  We stay results-focused by monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes.

  • The foundation of this vision is a diverse, dynamic workforce that consistently strives for excellence through collaboration, innovation, and a focus on results.  We promote constant learning, teamwork, and creativity in everything we do; take pride in our work; and continuously reflect on results as a means to improve.  We grow stronger by recruiting talent that shares our commitment to our mission, investing in individual development, and responding to our workforce’s needs.

Our Values

  • DSCA incorporates our values into every aspect of performing our mission and planning for the future.  These values are:

    • Demonstrating the utmost commitment to achieving our mission.

    • Maintaining the integrity of our business practices by pursuing a deliberate, accountable approach.

    • Prioritizing responsiveness to our stakeholders’ needs.

    • Maintaining transparency with our stakeholders through communication and information sharing.

    • Maximizing results through collaboration.

    • Encouraging innovation to improve how we do business and tackle new challenges.

    • Prioritizing investment in the workforce.

    • Promoting the empowerment of our teammates to take action to achieve our goals.quality.